1. Modernizing Public Transport: Lessons
Learned from Bus Reforms in Latin
America and Asia
Dario Hidalgo, PhD
Aileen Carrigan, MUP
December 14th, 2010
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2. http://www.embarq.org/en/modernizing-
public-transportation

4. Projects with very different scope
BRT - Guanzhou Optibus – Leon, Guanajuato Transantiago
Integration
Metropolitano - Lima TransMilenio - Bogotá RIT - Curitiba
Metrovía - Guayaquil
Megabús - Pereira Interligado – Sao Paulo
MIO - Cali
Macrobús - Guadalajara
Transmetro - Barranquilla
Metrolínea- Bucaramanga
Metrobús – Mexico (1, 2)
Janmarg – Ahmedabad
No Integration
Jakarta (1, 2, 3)
Istanbul, Turkey
Quito (Trole, Ecovía, North)
Rea Vaya -Johannesburg
BRT – Beijing (1, 2, 3)
Transmetro – Guatemala
One corridor Several corridors Route reorganization
Feeder lines of the whole city
Reviewed 5

5. All the reviewed systems include BRT
components
Centralized
control
Stations with prepayment
Distinctive and level access
image
Exclusive bus
lanes
Large buses with
multiple doors
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6. Project focus: structural change in
transit provision, not just to build and
operate BRT corridors
Traditional Operation* Transformed Operation
New private companies under
Private operators or associations
contracts and with strong
under permits or concessions, with
supervision of government
weak supervision by government
(new agencies)
* Not applicable to Beijing, Ahmedabad Sao Paulo

7. Traditional Operation* Transformed Operation
Competition for the market
(bidding process)
Competition in the market
or consolidation of existing
(“guerra del centavo” penny war)
operators (direct negotiation with of
new contracts/concessions)
* Not aplicable to Beijing, Ahmedabad, partial in Sao Paulo

11. Diverse Sizes
(2009)

12. Varied throughput
(2009)

13. Commercial speed
(2009)

14. Operational productivity
(2009)

15. Capital productivity
(2009)

16. Capital Cost
(2009)

17. User Fares
(2009)

18. Common issues in Planning
• Insufficient funding for studies and
design
Foto: URBS, 2000
• Lack of experience with BRT (staff and
local consultants)
• Implementation focus, not adequate
preparation
Trinary Road System-Curitiba
• Low user fares – tight financial
planning
• Local implementation teams outside
Foto: D. Hidalgo 2006
existing bureaucracy (latter staff of
new agencies)
Trolebús en el Centro Histórico - Quito
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19. Decision Processes
• Political will and leadership
at the top level  fast
Foto: D. Hidalgo 2006
implementation
• Need for regulatory and
instutional changes
(creation of new agencies) Northwestern Terminal – León, México
• Funding from external or
Foto: D. Hidalgo 2006
new sources
Metrobús Insurgentes – México DF
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20. Rushed implementation – most difficulties
solved within few weeks
• Incomplete infrastructure and fare
collection and control systems
Foto: J. Ernst 2005
• Lack of training for bus operators
• Insufficient user education
Jakarta
• Public protests
Foto: D. Hidalgo 2006
Beijing BRT
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21. Common operational concerns
• High occupancy levels
• Long waiting times for feeder
services
• Road surface maintenance
• Pick-pocketing
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22. The main structural problems are institutional
or regulatory
• User fares are defined after political negotiations – absence of
operational subsidies - financial stress
• Expansion is difficult after initial lines
– Opposition from existing operators
– Lack of political priority and funding for infrastructure
• Lack of dedicated funding for maintenance
• Lack of integration with normal bus services (except Santiago, which
suffered from profound planning and implementation difficulties)
Megabús – Pereira Metrovía - Guayaquil 23
Transantiago - Santiago
Fotos: D. Hidalgo 2006, 2007

23. Despite issues, most systems have been
succesful
• Quality and performance are
better than in the systems they
replaced
• Main achievement: travel time
reduction and increased safety
and reliability
– Efficiency gains resulted in
reduced energy consumption
and decreased pollutant
emissions
– Improved urban environments
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24. Common problems Wrong
What Went
• Rushed implementation – several components
incomplete
• Very tight financial planning – non technical user fares
• Very high occupancy levels (160 pax/bus standard for
articulated buses is not accepted by the users)
• Early deterioriation of infrastructure (lack of road surface
reinforcement or problems in design/construction)
• Implementation of fare collection systems requires
longer time tables and very tight supervision
• Insufficient user education
Filename/RPS Number

25. Recommendations
• Planning
• Decision process
• Type of implementation
• Implementation process
• Design and operation
• Structural issues
• Further studies
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27. ¡Muchas Gracias!